Naruto: Protector of Shadows
by abodo
Summary: Man was once afraid of darkness. The darkness grew in them and it fed on them. Man fought back with the very powers that were used to consume them to achieve a momentary peace. One day, man began to live within this darkness. Those who fought against it long forgotten. But now, as darkness once again feeds. The blades of knights must again give mankind hope.


He hated people. That's how he felt ever since he first realized that there was a world around him. He hated people because they hurt him. He hated everyone because they didn't let him laugh or smile like they did. They were mean because they took the time to make sure he was as miserable as possible. Why? They never told him why. What did he do? Nothing. Why should he be punished without doing anything? Yet they called him demon, a monster. They didn't see him as human. That was fine, because humans were an ugly kind. He wanted them dead, all of them. He wanted them all to hurt just like him, he wanted them to bleed and just stop moving like how most animals he'd touched did after everyone else finished hurting them.

Uzumaki Naruto walked down a street he knew well. This was the street where most of his nightmares began, Main Street. By the day, it was a bustling marketplace where people congregated to buy the days supplies. At night it was a place where merriment was abundant in ways with some not even legal. But this was all moot to him. He was five, just five years old, but whenever he passed, it was as if a plague had struck and everyone falls to silence. They let him pass and continue on with a bad taste in their mouths that the child could hear in their tone. For the most part they treated him like he didn't exist. But the worst were the nights. The night was where sake flowed freely and inhibitions were free. If how they treated Naruto by the day was holding back, the night was when everything just goes to hell.

Tonight was one of those nights. Naruto was bleeding, he could feel a heartbeat underneath his small chest, the strong thumps that told him he was still alive. His ribs ached with every expansion of his tiny lungs and it was all he could do to walk with two fractures on one leg and a sprained ankle on the other. He cradled one arm broken obviously from the unnatural way it stuck out as his vision swam between darkness and dim light, the swelling shiner on his eyes impeding his sight.

He wanted them to die... all of them. He hated them so much, far too much to care for anything else. They could be humans if he wanted. If being human meant becoming something so ugly then he wanted to be the monster they claimed him to be. He wanted to be the demon they always whispered of. As these thoughts drifted in his mind, a burning sensation ipped through his senses. The dull pains completely forgotten as the child fell like a ragdoll on the dirt path. Blood, sweat, spit and even vomit mixed as all pain took its toll on young Naruto.

_Do you seek power?_

A voiced hissed in Naruto's ear. A dark and cold voice that could never belong to a human. It spoke in a language he knew nothing about but could still understand. The burning in his gut intensified.

_I know you do. Your heart tells me so. Accept me and I shall give you power. Power to kill all those people you hate._

The power to kill everyone he hated. Yes, Naruto wanted that. He wanted to raze this place to the ground.

_Hahaha! You do not disappoint. A child as drenched in darkness as you, it is only expected._

A third layer of pain quickly assaulted Naruto's senses. Over the burning and the spasmic protests of his muscles poked by sharp bone was the feeling of being ripped apart. A sense that he was being chewed on.

_**BEGONE!**_

The burning in Naruto's stomach exploded in a snarl that escaped his lips. A bright red aura throwing off a dark energy that had tried to siphon away at the eyes, ears and mouth of the boy.

_So there is already a guest within this one._

The voice spoke calmly.

_**I will not be consumed.**_

Smoldering, was the best way to describe that last statement. A second voice that spoke with a far more imposing presence than the one before. The sheer malice within those two declarations completely matching the sinister agenda behind the first voice.

_Then I am left with no choice. I will have to-_

It came to a pause. Darkly, it chuckled. Slowly but surely it began to laugh in a hoarse high pitched tone as if two voices began to diverge from one.

_Very well, keep the child. I have found another suitable._

Head still spinning, Naruto clings to whatever consciousness he has left as his eyes are subject to a terrifying sight. Shinobi, warriors of their village were surrounding him, but one of them was thrashing about.

That man's eyes were raised to the heavens as his body convulsed and a dark power simply did to him whatever Naruto had felt when the dark aura surrounded him. The sounds of flesh and bones moving about, cracking and displacing was not uncommon, but still unwelcome to the child. The four others who came with the one were confused and shocked into a state of silent horror watched as their compatriot exploded in a splash of blood and gore. From the center of all this viscera emerged a being purely black in color. It's whole body wrapped in skin reminiscent of rotten flesh, head adorned with horns that twitched in a sickening parody of ears. It had a tail and leathery wings that looked far too small for it as if they had been ripped from a younger being. It was grotesque and Naruto could only watch as it slaughtered the four ninjas within the vicinity.

The boy watched in horror as the creature ripped each cadaver apart. It savored each bite as blood splattered everywhere on the ground and on the boy, eliciting fearful whimpers. The sounds piqued its attention, much to Naruto's terror. It approached, careful steps to savor its meal that looked to be in no condition to go anywhere. It reached one leathery hand down and stroked along blood soaked cheeks, claws drawing blood as they traced three whisker like scars.

_Don't worry child._

The same voice. The five year old's heart dropped into his stomach.

_For you who were to be my host. I will make it quick and painless in a single swallow._

Host... someone who takes care of another. Someone who welcomes another in their home. Naruto knew that word, what it meant. He didn't understand clearly how he would be its host. But his innocent mind knew it instantly. He was moments away from becoming it. Those soulless white eyes that showed only hunger and a lust for butchered flesh and spilled blood had almost become his. He didn't want it. Not anymore.

A clawed hand gripped the blackened arm on Naruto.

_**I told you to BE GONE!**_

The monster was thrown into a nearby house. The wooden walls easily breaking underneath the force of the throw. Naruto was only half-aware that he was now on his feet, his hand poised as if he'd just thrown that inhuman being. His wounds from before burned but the dull aches and stabbing pains were no more as well.

_**I have done my part. Now run you fool!**_

And Naruto did just that. The alarm mixed in with the grinding malice of the voice telling him that all was not well, and it wasn't. Soon as he took his first steps, the house that was wrecked blew into toothpicks as that two-toned scream filled the air.

The monster was not done. And for worse, it was flying. Those two wings which previously had been fit only to fly chickens had suddenly grown ten times their size to accommodate the body using them.

"AAH!", Naruto screamed as he ran. His feet moving on their own as he darted through his favored escape routes on instinct. The dark being above him dove down and sank its clawed hands into the his back. It tried to draw him up but the tender flesh claws hooked sliced cleanly off and young Naruto fell face first on the ground. Adrenaline blocking most of the agony from horrendous pain on his back to a scathing sting.

Shakily, the boy pushed himself to stand. The monster circled above him, treating this like a game. Primal fear snaked its way into Naruto's heart. Could he make it? He had to make it, the only alternative was-

Images of the monster biting into flesh flashed in the boy's mind. The metallic smell of blood that had sprayed on him was still there. He'd live, he would definitely live. With renewed strength, Naruto pumped his short legs as fast as he could. Surprising the horror in the sky at how fast a wounded human child could still move. It dove in again, but Naruto was ready.

The blonde urchin was too experienced in being chased not to sense impending capture twice. He slid to a stop and turned just as quick. The monster missed its small target by inches and overshot into a tumble in the dirt road.

The alleys were dark, but they were what Naruto knew best. He weaved in and out of them like he'd done so hundreds of times before. The spaces far too cramped for the winged menace to chase him. He was never out in the open for more than a few seconds, too many times he'd been caught in open space. But such impressive display of thought never came from the child. It was all instinct, body reflexes that were replaying his daily life in this struggle for survival. His thought processes had long been overruled as it was in favor of quivering in terror.

Sliding underneath outreaching window awnings and slipping through awkward plumbing, the street urchin reached a pile of boxes that he climbed up with ease. The demon up above screeched in joy as it's prey had seemingly given up hope from hiding in those annoying covers. Once more it dove down, intent on ending this little mid-meal exercise.

It was expected though. Naruto already planned it out as he jumped up. Right towards the village walls, clinging right on the edge. This house was on the edge of town, and its angle was perfect for spring boarding to the wall. The monster tumbled down, but it also foresaw the dodge, not putting all its weight into the dive. It pulled back and landed square on its feet, right where Naruto had jumped off.

CRACK!

That piece of roof the monster stepped on thundered as it gave way to the weight on it.

Naruto scrambled over the ledge with a sigh of relief. Breathing hard, young Naruto felt his weakened legs give out. There was only so much energy for a child to have, even the most hyperactive of them which is him. He sat there listening as the crashed debris settle down. That kind of fall should've at least stunned the creature into unconsciousness. The child lay back, spread eagle to let the exhaustion sink in, completely unaware that where there should've been large lacerated wounds on his back, were only bloodstains left.

"GRAAAAGH!", the angered roar howled through the heavens. It echoed through the skies and would've easily awakened many a shinobi in the hidden village of the leaves. But it didn't, the piercing cry washed over the land and it felt like the very earth itself was saturated with the sheer rage and irritation that saturated that cry.

The scream had actually generated a minor shockwave that threw up dust and wooden planks-splinters from the crash. It pushed Naruto who was teetering on the edge of the wall and pushed him clean outside, several dozen feet to the ground.

Young Naruto felt saw his short life flash before his eyes. The hateful eyes, the beatings, the whispered words. He saw them all, relived every moment as his small body battered against outstretched branches. Each one whipped him, smacked him as hurtfully as his memories. Until he remembered the old man who always reached his hand out to Naruto.

Time seemed to slow down for Naruto as he saw that hand. The only person who held out his hand, a hand that Naruto so desperately wanted to hold on to. He reached out and did just that, sharply stopping his dissent with a shocking pain ripping up and down his shoulder. His hand grasped tightly as if holding on for dear life. Looking up, Naruto could see the smiling old man. The white dress like clothes and that ridiculous hat he'd always found funny yet cool at the same time covering most of the elder's face. The image quickly faded letting reality set in. Naruto's hand firmly clenched around a rather sturdy bough.

The boy let out a sigh he unintentionally held. He looked down and quickly regretted the action. He was a clear twenty feet from the ground. A fall would be more than just unpleasant. Reaching up with another hand to pull himself up. He strained his breath just to pull himself up before all air was forced out of his lungs seconds later.

By the time the child had recovered enough to make sense of his surroundings, he realized he was in pain. The forest scenery around him zoomed by quickly. Leathery arms wrapped around him with the rot of blood and death filling his senses. The tiny hint of iron sneaking its way through all that told him along with the warm wetness on his side that something was wrong.

SPLORTCH!

"Ahhh!", Naruto screamed his tiny lungs out. The five year old wracked in pain far worse than he was in before. The sharp implements dug deep in his flank twisting as they turned him to face the monster who'd gave chase.

"For a child, you are quite impressive. You would have made a perfect body for me to inhabit.", the monster cackled before landing roughly on the forest floor. The slight impact jarring Naruto and the claws deeper into the wounds. The monster smiled, had it any lips, "Painful isn't it? It's almost a shame that you will just be food for me like those humans. Alas, I will make this quick and painless just for you.". The monster reared its head back and bit down on Naruto's shoulder, intent on tearing a chunk right out. It pulled it's jaws up to savor blood trickling down, but when it tried there was a forceful resistance against the back of its head. It tried again but to no avail, realizing too slowly that it was a small hand pushing its head down.

"No.", a whisper, deathly silent. A loud thwack resounded against the forest air. The horror releasing the child between its teeth and claws as it felt its whole body shake from just one blow.

Bleeding, half-conscious and probably close to passing out, Naruto fell on his back, closed fist still raised from hitting the creature. "I won't become a monster, and I won't die.", the child gasped out.

"Hmhmhm... that's impossible I'm afraid.", the demon recovered quickly. "I must admit.", it grabbed Naruto by the neck and pulled him up. "I was caught off guard by that punch. I almost thought it was from a Knight of Makai.".

"Knight... of Makai?", Naruto absently echoed the words. Loss of blood was making him dizzy and vision was quickly fading.

"That's right hmhmhm, the sworn enemies of our kind. But luckily for me, they've long died out.", replying with a smug chuckle. Not wanting another gut shot, the monster reached out with another claw to tear off the bitten piece.

ROAR!

The feral sound ripped like thunder. A glint of gold that illuminated the dark night. Both predator and prey looked up to the source of the radiance. Naruto didn't know why, but a sense of security overcame him. The soft glow telling promises that everything would be alright.

Opposite was the reaction of the horror as it's face contorted to one of fear. "Golden knight.", it barely hissed out at the being jumping over him. A flash of a gilded blade made the monster scream.

Naruto fell to the ground in a thump, breathing slightly easier. Unwilling to bet safety on a mere feeling, Naruto fought off impending unconsciousness. Sitting up, ignoring the agonizing pain from his shoulder and side, the boy noticed something protruding against his neck. It was the creature's arm with a fair grip on him. The frightened child quickly grabbed it and threw it off to the side. Staring at the offending appendage in abject horror. Naruto tried to process where the monster was.

"Graagh!", the scream turned Naruto attention to the black monster. The light from before was a being clad in ornate golden armor, its sword was thrust in the monster's torso. The horror reached out and grabbed the armored figure by a pauldron. "H-how? Makai Knights... Garo...".

The golden being said nothing. It twisted its embedded blade, deepening the inflicted wound before retrieving his blade in a swing that cleaved the monster in half.

Young Naruto watched in morbid fascination as the creature that had caused so much death exploded in a shower of black ink like liquid, leaving behind a floating symbol resembling the calligraphy they were forced to do. He then saw the golden being stab the symbol as it cracked away into nothingness.

Finally getting a good look at the armored figure, Naruto could make out the design of the helmet. A golden wolf with a fang baring snarl.


End file.
